2012 Austin City Council Election

Bee Cave

The general election that was scheduled for Bee Cave was canceled.

Mayor Caroline Murphy is running for re-election unopposed, and Zelda Auslander and Steve Braasch will be replacing Councilman Mike Murphy and Councilman Chad Bockius, who are not running for re-election.

Rollingwood

Mayor Bill Hamilton is running for re-election against Councilman Barry Bone.

Additionally, four candidates are running for two open alderman seats.

The candidates are:

  • Sara Hutson (incumbent)
  • Shelly Bain
  • Mark W. Welker
  • Pam Opiela

Residents can also vote for or against allowing the City of Rollingwood to issue bonds of up to $12.8 million to purchase and improve the Rollingwood water and wastewater system from the Lower Colorado River Authority.

The proposition language reads:

Shall the City Council of the City of Rollingwood be authorized to issue bonds of the city in the amount of, not to exceed, $12.8 million maturing serially or otherwise and bearing interest at such rates, not to exceed the responsive limits prescribed by law at the time of issuance, as shall be determined within the discretion of the City Council at the time of issuance, and to levy a tax upon all taxable property in the City sufficient to pay the interest on the bonds, and to provide a sinking fund for the payment of bonds as they mature, for the purpose of making permanent public improvements as follows: purchasing, acquiring, enlarging, extending, equipping and constructing sewer system facilities and improvements, including acquiring lands and rights-of-way for any such purposes, and all matter or necessary thereto?

West Lake Hills

The general election for West Lake Hills was canceled.

However, there will be a special election for the Place 5 City Council seat. David Moore, a member of West Lake Hills' Zoning and Planning Commission, is going against Lyn Morris Weingarten in the race.

Councilman Davin Fillpot left the seat to become the city planner.

Lakeway

In Lakeway, five candidates are running for three open City Council seats. Three of the candidates are City Council members running for re-election.

The candidates are:

  • Councilwoman Dee Ann Burns-Farrell, who has lived in Lakeway for 12 years and has served on City Council since 2008
  • Anita Cokins, a Lakeway area resident for more than 30 years who ran the first floating restaurant in Texas and has served on the Lakeway Board of Ethics
  • Councilman Bruce Harris, a Lakeway resident for 15 years and council member for four years
  • Kay Sconci, a Lakeway area resident for about 20 years who co-owns a health club
  • Councilman Dave Taylor, who has been on City Council for three years and previously served on the Zoning and Planning Commission

A forum held April 25 allowed Lakeway residents to write questions that a moderator then asked the candidates. Many of the questions were attacks aimed at certain candidates and generally revolved around annexation and Recovery Ways, the post-detox rehab facility that was denied a permit to operate inside the city.

The forum was videotaped and can be watched online at www.cityoflakeway.com.

Propositions

In addition to the City Council election, Lakeway is having a special election asking residents if they want to sell two pieces of designated parkland to private citizens.

The portions of Rebel Park and Sailfish Park for sale are often submerged by Lake Travis and are largely unused by the greater community, Lakeway City Manager Steve Jones said. Landowners adjacent to the parks' coves want to buy the land so they can build boat docks that go to the middle of the cove.

The Rebel Cove and Sailfish Cove propositions will be separate ballot items in the special election.

In 1974, the Lakeway Company donated Rebel and Sailfish parks, in addition to other parkland, to the Lakeway Civic Corporation. Thirteen years later, the LCC donated the land to Lakeway.

Council unanimously approved the special election authorizing the sale of Rebel Cove and Sailfish Cove.

City ordinance requires voter approval for the sale of any parkland.

Proposition One ballot language reads:

Shall the City sell that portion of Rebel Park located in Rebel Cove that is submerged beneath the waters of Lake Travis except during periods when the lake level is low, being that portion of the Park more particularly described in and depicted on a plat attached Election Ordinance No. 2012-02-21-02 dated February 21, 2012?

Proposition Two ballot language reads:

Shall the City sell that portion of Sailfish Park located in Sailfish Cove that is submerged beneath the waters of Lake Travis except during periods when the lake level is low, being that portion of the Park more particularly described in and depicted on a plat attached Election Ordinance No. 2012-02-21-02 dated February 21, 2012?